I will tell you guys, I have had zero luck fishing stumpy points, just not my confidence areas, unlike some others.  Try and think about this a bit.  The lake has lots of flats with structure, just ask about when the lake was a puddle just a few years ago.  Some of our fellow anglers made it down there with GPS in hand, and added over 100 waypoints of likely strucutre located near river and creek channels.  Not that they will all hold fish, but.....What amazes me are the expansive grass lines available on the lake.  I do better focusing on these areas.  Numerous areas along the main river channel hold these grassy areas.  If you can locate a grass line with some cobble size rock or a piece of isolated structure, you may have found a honey hole.  Remember that these fish are transitioning.  This means that I have already narrowed down four/five areas that I will return to at any given time of the day during the event.  I will focus with a mojo and a crank. 
Kirk

Hey guys,

After listening to all of this... I STILL hate Riffe Lake HAHAHAHA!!!

I think I've fished there for a total of 8 days without a single fish over 12 inches yet. Confucious once say, "How do you know favorite lake when you do not hate one?"

While I am fishing the 17 thousandth unproductive stumpy point out on Riffe this month, I will definitely be dreaming of a topwater bite on Potholes or Banks. BUT! I will also be enjoying the challenge in front of me. I am confident that I will one day catch a good limit out of that lake, and I am hoping it will be at this tournament. The year has been kind to me so far, and my confidence is high.

I think Riffe still has some of the most interesting structure of any lake in the state, and I think I am getting a better handle on what holds and doesn't hold fish. It has taught me a lot about other lakes in our area as far as the importance of transition areas, current, and expansive flats.

So when I say I hate Riffe Lake, I am mainly kidding, and I think it is fun to joke about. I think everyone has to have a lake that is their nemesis. Riffe is definitely mine, but I plan on learning something this month, and I hope everyone that is teetering on the fence about going will take up the challenge. Heck - the lake gets voted in just about every year, so there have got to be some reedeming qualities to that godforsaken mudhole.

The water is low gentlemen, and the stumps are high. Bring your carpet cleaner, 'cause the clay will be a'wipin' off on your carpet, and the tires on your truck will be a'spinnin' on the launch ramp!!!

BRING ON RIFFE! WOOHOO!

Chris 

There used to be a time when a tough lake to fish was considered a RARITY! a Diamond in the rough...well I for one shall be there for at least 3 pre-fishing days and for the tournament itself because I LIKE  being challenged! This lake is a beautiful fishery that has all of what you want to test your own mettle. If it were up to me, and it is not! I would say bring on the Bassmaster Circuit and lets challenge them, Lakes need to be chosen for they're ability to offer several points...
1) Fish.
2) Lots of structure.
3) A weather variable.
4) A seasonal drawdown variable.
5) Forage species.
You will notice that  nowhere will it say "Psychological Effect on Fisherman" and the more we all whine about how little fish are caught maybe we need to study and figure out why! We are a Great Club and can, through sharing get this egg cracked!

Hi All,

Fished Riffe Lake today. It was very tough fishing. I should have went home after the first cast. I caught a 2 lb. smallie on my very first cast, it was all down hill after that. I also caught 2 dinks and that was it after 9 hours of fishing.
I caught my keeper in 10 feet of water. I fished on the points, in front of the points, behind the points and the edge of the shallows on the river channel. I fished from 10 ft. to 30 ft of water. I caught everything that bit. I also through everything in the tackle box. Hopfully it was just a wheather change that threw the fishing off.

The water was about 8 feet lower then it was when we fished the Jack and Jill. All of the shallow flats are out of the water. I believe the resort boat launch is out of commission because of low water. There was a lot of trucks and trailers in the parking lot of Kosmos when I arrived at 5:00 AM.

I hope this helps some of you guys out.


                                      Daryl Snodgrass